Accepting the chargesheet clause is the way forward for IOA
London Olympics was a landmark event in Indian sports as athletes came back home with the best medal haul ever – six (2 silver and 4 bronze). However, as things stand currently, the possibility of India even entering the Rio Olympics in 2016 looks bleak.
If the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) continues to remain defiant and fail to adhere to Olympic Charter, Indian sportspersons can kiss their chances of competing at Olympic events under the national flag a goodbye.
One of the major reasons for the continued deadlock between IOA and International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the chargesheet clause that bars any person charged for corruption from holding office.
However, the IOA chooses to ignore it and proposes to incorporate a sanction that will bar only those who are convicted and sentenced to a jail term of more than two years.
The IOA’s bone of contention is that it cannot implement the ‘blanket ban’ provision because the law in India does not bar charge-sheeted persons from contesting even parliamentary elections.
And IOC has rejected the offer from IOA, citing adopting a chargesheet clause is the key to good governance.
IOC, on its part, cannot make an exception to IOA where all other international sports bodies have followed the Olympic Charter to the T.
And it was illogical for IOA to even think that IOC will consider its compromise formula as it was the election of Lalit Bhanot, who is facing corruption charges linked to the scandal-hit Commonwealth Games in 2010, as its secretary-general that prompted IOC to suspend the IOA.
Accepting the counter-offer would defeat the very purpose of suspending the IOA as Bhanot would again be eligible for the polls.
It’s time that sports bodies are made free from corruption and the first step in that direction is to have someone at the helm who is free from any charges. Otherwise, a repeat of the scandalous Commonwealth Games would be very much in the offing.
If the question is about following the law of the land, shouldn’t a more transparent, effective and efficient law be given precedence for the betterment of the sport?
Sports Ministry and Indian athletes have all backed the IOC for sticking to its stand on chargesheet clause as they too believe a clean sports body will only help sportspersons to achieve higher glory in international events. Is the IOA listening?
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